Metal wheel



M. LACHMAN.

METAL WHEEL.

APPLICATIGN FILED MAY 5. 1919.

Patented July 26, 1921.

ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAURICE LACHMAN, or NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

BETHLEHEM STEEL COMPANY, OF BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA, A Coleman- TION 0F PENNBYLVANIA.

METAL WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 26, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAURICE LACHMAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metal Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the construction of metal wheels and more particularly to that class of wheels in which the spokes consist of metal strips suitably secured to the rim and to the hub to form the spoke portions of the wheel.

The object of my invention is to simplify and cheapen the constructionand to diminish the number of elemental parts required in making the wheel, thereby lessening the cost of handling and of manufacturing, and at the same time make it possible to produce a wheel of maximum strength.

The invention pertains particularly to the metal strips or plates used as spokes in building up the wheel and which consists of a plate or strip adapted to connect diametrically opposite portions of the rim and divided at its opposite ends into bifurcations adapted for attachment by the ends of the bifurcations to the rim'and divided or spread apart at its central or intermediate portions between the points of bifurcation into two members disposed at opposite sides of the axis of the wheel and adapted for attachment to the hub.

The invention further consists in the novel construction of wheel consisting of plates or strips divided as stated and as more particularly hereinafter described and then specified in the claims.

The invention further consists in the details of construction as hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan of a metal late or strip constituting a blank properly s it at its ends and intermediate part for forming into the wheel element illustrated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a plan of said element as formed preparatory to use in building up a wheel.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a wheel in which elements like Fig. 2 are embodied to form a complete wheel and Fig. 4 is a crosssection on the line 4-4 Fig. 3 of a portion of the wheel through the hub barrel and flanges thereof.

Referring to Fig. 1, a metalplate or strip of suitable or desired thickness and width and of suitable length to connect diametrically opposite portions of the rim of the wheel is slit on lines indicated by the nu merals 2 2. The strip is then spread out into the form shown in Fig. 2 to form bifurcations 3 at its opposite ends and to form members 4 at its intermediate part separate from one another to adapt them for attachment to the hub part at opposite sides of the axis thereof.

The undivided portion 5 of the blank serves to hold the several members 3 and 4 together and also serves for attachment of the strengthening annulus or plate 6 in the completed wheel. Suitable holes may be punched as indicated in Fig. 2 for the passage of bolts or rivets securing the ends of the bifurcations to the rim and for securing the annulus to the unslit portions 5 and for securing the divided or separated members 4 to the hub.

7 indicates the hub provided with flanges 8 and 9 indicates the rim provided with in turned flanges 10. The form of hub and flange may be varied. without departing from my invention.

The divided'strips or plates, Fig. 2, are assembled in the wheel as clearly shown in the side elevation, the members 4 thereof being superposed upon one another and at the points of superposition being bolted or riveted to one another and to the hub flanges, suitable washers being interposed, if desired, at such points to fill in any space between members 4 where they intersect other like members. To further brace and strengthen the wheel the members 4 may engage at their edge the shoulder 11 on the hub where they pass around it. The strengthening annulus 6 formed of an annular plate or strip is suitably bolted to the strips, as shown, at the uncut portion of the spoke members lying between the point of bifurcation and the wheel axis. The outer ends of the bifurcations are riveted or otherwise secured in the flanges 10 or other part of the rim as indicated in the Figs. 3 and 4.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited except as expressed in the appended claims.

at I claim as my invention is 1. In a metal wheel of the character described, a spoke portion consisting of metal plates or strips slit and spread at their central part into elongated branches spread out and carried around the hub to form separate members disposed at opposite sides of the hub axis and bifurcated at both ends for attachment to the rim by the ends of the bifurcations.

2-. In a metal Wheel of the character described, a spoke portion comprising metal plates or strips of uniform width bifurcated at their opposite ends for attachment to the rim by the ends of the bifurcations and divided and spread out at their intermediate portion into elongated branches forming separatedv members disposed at opposite sides of the axis of the WhBGLSHdd branches for the different plates being superposed upon one another and bolted or riveted together through said superposed portions. I 3. In a metal wheel of the character described, a spoke portion consisting of metal plates or strips divided at their opposite endstoform' bifurcations for attachment to the rim at the ends of said bifurcations and divided and spread out at their intermediate portion into elongated branches forming separated members disposed at op osite sides of the axis of the wheel combined with a metal hub having flanges to which said members are secured.

4. In a metal wheel, 9. spoke and hub mem ber extending across the wheel diametrically and comprising a metal plate divided at its opposite ends to form bifurcations for attachment to the rim and slit at its center and spread apart into two separated members with an elongated opening between the branches and adapted respectively for attachment to hub flange at diametrically opposite portions of said hub.

5. In a metal wheel, a spoke and hub member extending across the wheel diametrically and comprising metal plates divided at their opposite ends to form bifurcations for attachment to the rim and divided at their centers into members spread apart and adapted respectively for attachment to a hub flange at diametrically opposite portions of said hub combined with a reinforcing metal strip in the form of an annulus secured to the .undivided portion of said strips or plates.

6. In a metal wheel of the character described, a spoke portion comprising metal plates or strips divided at their ends into bifurcations secured to the rim of the wheel combined with a reinforcing annular plate connecting the strips and secured thereto at their undivided portions.

7. In a metal wheel, a spoke portion consisting essentially of metal strips connected at their opposite ends to the rim and superposed upon one another at the center, said superposed portions being slit and spread apart into two elongated members at the center and fastened to the similar members of other strips at the intersections.

8. In a metal wheel, a spoke portion consisting essentially of metal strips connected at their opposite ends to the rim and superposed upon one another at their center, said superposed portions being divided into two members spread apart at the center and fastened to the similar members of other strips at the intersections and to the hub.

9. In a metal wheel, a spoke portion comprising metal plates or strips each having a divided end forming bifurcations securedto the rim of the wheel combined with a reinforcing ring connecting said strips and secured thereto at the base of the bifurcations.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 3d day of May, A. D. 1919.

MAURICE LACI-IMAN.

Witnesses:

C. F. TISCHNER, F. B. TOWNSEND. 

